Israel will attack Iran’s nuclear facilities before the end of the year if the West has not launched an attempt to destroy the regime with crippling sanctions, a former senior defence official has claimed.

Ephraim Sneh, Israel’s deputy defence minister until 2007, said a nuclear-armed Iran was an unacceptable threat to Israel. No Israeli government could put its faith in President Barack Obama’s efforts to bring Tehran to the negotiating table over its nuclear programme, he said.

“The Israeli government is the only entity that is responsible for the existence of the Jewish people,” he said. “Iran has been explicit in its hostility to Israel time and again. They would use these weapons.

“We believe that Iran has the capacity and the delivery capability for nuclear weapons. They can proceed to production. We have got two months to act – before the end of 2009.”